Inside feed stoker



1932. N. M. LOWER ET AL.

I INSIDE FEED STOKER Original Filed Jan. 8, 1926 2 SheQt-Sheet Nov. 29, 1932. Y N, M, LWER ET AL 1,889,411.

INS IDE FEED STOKER Original Filed Jan. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet =2 I 1F g 5 L i 35 I M A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NATHAN LOWER AND DAVID F. CRAWFORD, 01E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AND EDW IN ARCHER TURNER, OF N EW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO TIE-IE STANDARD STOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE INSIDE FEED STOKER Original application filed January 8, 1928, Serial No. 79,977. Divided and this application filed September 27, 1929. Serial No. 395,498

This invention relates to stoker mechanism and more particularly to stokers for locomotives. f

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an under feed stoker in which fuel is delivered at a plurality of points in the rear portion of the firebox from which it is distributed over the grates.

- Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following descrip tion when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a'locomotive and tender therefor, showing the stolrermechanism in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the rear end of a locomotive on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line with parts broken away; and

Fig. dis a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2 showing amodified form of construction.

This application is a division of our application, Serial No. 79,977, filed January 8, i926.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral designates a locomotive having a backhead 11, firedoor opening 12, firebe): 13 and grates 14 therein, all. of which are of well known construction. The tender is shown behind the locomotive at 15, and comprises a fuelbin' 16 equipped with the usual elongated opening 17 in its floor.

The fuel from the bin of the tender is transferred to the locomotive by a suitable conveyer. In the embodiment of the invention shown the conveyer comprises front and rear sections 18 and 19 respectively, its rear portion terminating in a trough 20 located beneath the opening 17 for receiving the'fuel from the bin 16. The front and rear sections of the conveyer are connected together by a universal joint 21 which provides for the necessary relative angular movement between the locomotive and its tender.

A conveyer screw, which may comprise the sections 22 and 23, connected to a universal joint 24 is rotatably mounted in casings 18 and 19. The joint 24 is arranged in the plane of the universal joint 21 in order that the 33 of Fig. 2

relative movement of the locomotive and tender will not interfere with the operation of the screw.

The conveyer screw is operated from its rearward end from the motor 25 located beneath the floor of the tender and which is mounted to the rear of the conveyer and supported solely thereby in any suitable manner. The motor as shown has the intake and eX- haust ports 26 and 27, the piping being omitted on the drawings for the sake of clearness. The conveyer screw is connected to the enginecranl: shaft by a telescopic connection 28, a setof reducing gearing being interposed if' necessary or desirable. This location of the motor obviates the necessity of providing flexible shafts andjoints which are necessary when the motor is mounted separately from the conveyer. This construction also has the additional advantage of being directly connected to the conveyer screw insuring against loss of power in transmitting energy from the motor to the screw.

The front end of the conveyer is provided with laterally extending or branching conduits 30 and 31, which curve upwardly at their outer ends and to which are detachably con nected the elevator casings or conduits 32 and 33, as by means of the bolts 34. The casings extend upward through the grates in the rear corners of the firebox in continuation of the laterally branching conduits. The casings may be removed by releasing and lifting them upward into the firebox after which they may be removed through the firedoor opening if necessary or desirable.

The upper ends of the elevator casings eX- tend upwardly through tliefirebed a distance sufficient to permit the fuel to be distributed over the fire in aerial paths. The exposed portions of the casings or conduits are shielded or protected from the intense heat gen erated within the firebox by any preferred cooling means, such as a series of pipes 35, which are shown by way of illustration.

F or the purpose of distributing the fuel over the grates a pair of nozzle blocks are provided. The blocks arelocatedin the corners of the'iirebox in the rear of the elevator casings and the blast from each is directed elevators in the rear corners of rearward and toward the center 0 the firebox. They are supplied w;d1 steam or any suitable pressure fluid through the pipes 41 which extend upwardly in the corners of the firebox in rear of the car whereby heat of the furrney are protected from the nace.

The front end of the conveyor screw extends across the branch or laterall extending conduits and is preferably, though not necessarily, provided with a double flight 412 and 43 whereby the fuel is evenly divided between the two branches. The flights l2 and 43 may be extended forwardly 1 rallel with the axis of the conveyer at than forward ends to form the paddles ll and for preventing packing of the fuel between the end of the conveyer and the wall of the casing.

In the operation of the device, fuel is conducted forwardly by the conveyer and forced laterally and upwardly through the elevator casings. As it boils up above the upper ends of the casings it is projected by s 'n blasts to all arts of the firebox. By-l.

1g the t 1e firebox a supply of fuel is insured in these corners and each nozzle is required to distribute the fuel over approximately one half of the grate area. This is considered an important feature of the invention because it insures a very eiiicient distribution of tie fuel.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 4 differs from that already described in that the elevator casings 50 and 51 do not extend above the grates. Since the arrangement of the motor, universal joint, front and rear sections of the conveyer, trough and other parts of the device constituting the rear portion of the stoker, are identical with the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it is not thought necessary to further illustrate or repeat the description of this portion of the device.

The nozzles 52 are located above the grates, and the openings in said nozzles are inclined slightly upward in order to project the fuel over the firebed.

In the operation of this form of construction, fuel forced upward through the elevator casings 50 and 51 will form a mound from the top of which the nozzles will project the fuel over the firebed.

It is believed that various changes in the details of construction may be made and other modifications are conceivable without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a stoker, a conveyer casing, a pair of transfer conduits extending laterally in opposite directions in the same horizontal plane with, and substantially at right angles from, the forward end of said casing, said conduits having their outer ends curved upwardly and a conveyer screw in said casing, said screw extending forwardly into the juncture formed by said conduits and said casing for conveying fuel along said casing and forcing the same laterallythrough said conduits.

2. In combination, a locomotive having a firebox, and a fuel feeding system comprising a conveyer casing, a pair of transfer conduits extending laterally in opposite directions in the same horizontal plane with, and substantially at right angles from, the forward end of said casing, said conduits at their outer ends opening upwardly into the firebox and a conveyer screw in said casing, said screw extending forwardly into the juncture formed by said conduits and said casing for conveying fuel along said casing and forcing the same laterally through said conduits.

8. In combination, a locomotive provided with a firebox having grates therein, a tender for said locomotive, a conveyer conduit extending from beneath the floor of said tender to said locomotive and having its forward end curved upward and terminating in the plane of said grates, in a corner of said firebox, the fuel rising from said conduit forming a mound of fuel above the end thereof within said corner of the firebox, and a nozzle spaced vertically a substantial distance above the upper end of said conveyer conduit and located in said corner for distributing fuel from said mound over the grates of said firebox.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

NATHAN M. LOl/VER. DAVID F. CRAWFORD. EDWIN ARCHER TURNER. 

